I Don’t Think Dating Apps Will Recover 📉💑💔

Dating app sales are declining and dating app companies are laying off employees. I don’t think dating apps will go away completely but I don’t think they will recover and be used the way they once were.

Dating apps were a social experiment that had some success and many failures.  Not enough people get what they want from dating sites.   No business can survive that.  Casinos do a better job of delivering to their customers than dating apps.

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/27/bumble-layoffs-350-employees-or-about-37percent-of-workforce.html

Americans are not spending as much on non essential purchases across the board. Sales at large retailers like Target have declined. The same can be said for fast food and casual dining establishments. Economic conditions may be a factor in the decline of dating app users.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/07/economy/revenge-travel-decline-spending-splurge/index.html

It’s hard to pin point the cause of the decline but I have some ideas. One article said app usage peaked during the pandemic. Enduring pairs may have been created during the pandemic and the app is no longer needed. Apps could be victims of their own success.

I think the dating app experiment taught singles that there are advantages to seeking a companion in person. You’re ahead of the game if you meet someone from your daily walk in life. You already have something in common. Meeting someone in person is a lot more straight forward and the person you meet comes with some context.

https://www.newsweek.com/dating-apps-decline-tinder-bumble-match-1842834

It can be a little difficult to connect with a stranger on an app. A lot of small talk is involved. Many app users are not genuine. Dating apps are also used in crimes such as romance scams, setting up robberies, sexual assault and murder. The risk outweighs the reward.

There may be a generational shift as far as attitudes on dating apps and dating in general. Younger generations don’t seem as social. I’m not sure they prioritize dating and marriage as much as older people. They’ve benefited from the experiences of their elders and dating apps.

https://www.wired.com/story/end-of-dating-apps/

Older singles likely aren’t focused on finding a relationship. What’s the point? The likelihood of finding a good match declines as you get older due to social conditions, who we all become as we get older and who is available to date. People die, get sick, etc. as they age. We all learn to live with the plateau we reach as we mature.

There’s no reason for a middle aged person to put themselves through the experience of on line dating. Companionship is important and a worthwhile pursuit at any stage in life but once your life is half over it’s questionable how worthwhile the pursuit of marriage is. There are other things to worry about like managing menopause symptoms and funding your retirement.

Dating apps have gotten too much bad press and people have found better uses for their time and money. It’s all fair. I think those wanting a relationship will rely on face to face connections and their current circles and they will be better off.

https://www.today.com/tmrw/couples-who-meet-dating-apps-are-more-likely-divorce-early-t236940

There is a social media account called “Meet Cutes” where New Yorkers are stopped on the street and asked if they are couples. The couples are then asked to tell the story of how they met. I don’t think I every heard one of the couples say they met on line. The couples met through friends, work, church or a chance meeting like walking down a New York City street, eyes locking and saying hello. The couples are charming, clearly affectionate and some have been together for decades. “Meet Cutes” may have played a part in the decline of on line dating.

https://www.instagram.com/meetcutesnyc/?hl=en

I have no intentions of ever using a dating app again. This is here nor there to me. I participated in the social experiment of on line dating. I didn’t meet the love of my live but I didn’t get robbed or wind up in a ditch either. It was an interesting experience. I met some real characters and got out of the house. I’ll call that breaking even.

I would be lying if I wasn’t glad to hear about the decline of dating apps. Many people used apps to use and take advantage of others. I think they created some unrealistic standards in the minds of many. I think apps are a bit dehumanizing in that they created a commodities market for singles. I think women would be empowered coupling relied on face to face meetings. Therefore, I hope dating apps become nearly non existent and lose their shirts.